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Tag: Amaechi

  • Amaechi, ex-deputy in war of words

    Amaechi, ex-deputy in war of words

    FORMER Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has said his former deputy, Tele Ikuru, lied against him.

    The former governor denied a statement credited to Ikuru that he returned billions of naira to him (Amaechi).

    In a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, by his media aide, David Iyofor, the former governor said Ikuru’s statement amounted to blackmail.

    Ikuru, at a thanksgiving last Sunday at St. Simon’s Anglican Church at his coastal Ikuru hometown in Andoni Local Government Area, accused Amaechi of treating him shabbily.

    The former deputy governor said the thanksgiving was meant to thank God for His grace on him and his family during the eight years of service to the state.

    He said: “I served this government for seven years and seven months under Amaechi, because I was with Celestine Omehia for five months. At the end of the seven years and seven months, Amaechi did not think that I deserve any parting gift.

    “ Despite the fact that in the course of the administration, by reason of the office I occupied, I returned several monies to him, valued at over N2 billion cash at different times during one work or another.

    “By reason of my contributions to this government, I also saved this government not less than N100 billion over the period. At the end of the seven years and seven months, my boss left me hard and dry; nothing and no penny to go home with.”

    Ikuru said he did not expect a reward from man but from God for all he did for the state.

    The former deputy governor noted that with the thanksgiving, he was sure God would remember him.

    Ikuru was deputy for five months to former Governor Celestine Omehia before he was sacked by the Supreme Court in its landmark judgment on October 25, 2007.

    When Amaechi was inaugurated as governor on October 26, 2007, he retained Ikuru as his deputy.

    But shortly before this year’s presidential and National Assembly elections, he defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Ikuru teamed up with the then PDP’s governorship candidate Nyesom Wike (now governor) to fight Amaechi.

    But Amaechi said: “Tele (Ikuru) is lying. He did not return any money to me. I am not aware that he returned any money to the coffers of the Rivers State government.

    “My former deputy’s ill-advised comments against me are indeed shameful and pitiable. His attack on me and his disgusting lamentation about parting gift only go to confirm what I have always known and said about those on the other side of the political divide in Rivers State (where my former deputy now belongs), that all they want is to share the resources and the commonwealth of Rivers people among themselves. This is why they fought me and are still fighting me.

    “It is most unfortunate that Ikuru, who I kept as my deputy, in spite of the strong opposition against him – almost everyone was against him – but I retained him and even ran with him for a second term, against the advice of most of my political associates, would now attempt to hideously disparage and attack me.”

    At Ikuru’s thanksgiving, Wike was represented by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Chief Kenneth Kobani.

    Wike hailed the former deputy governor for his meritorious service to the state during his eight years of serving Rivers.

    The governor described Ikuru as a wonderful servant of the state, adding that he finished strong, on the basis of his “outstanding legacies”.

    Wike added that it was Ikuru’s track record that made it possible for him to head the transition committee that ushered in the present government.

  • Amaechi vs Wike: Between facts and fiction

    A Little after the present Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike accused his predecessor,  the immediate past governor, Rotimi Amaechi of looting and vandalising properties in the Rivers State Government House by taking away  items like bullet proof doors, carpets, cars, furniture, curtains and windows, a container of controversial narrations and analysis has emerged with Amaechi’s response that ‘the current governor is trying to intimidate, threaten and blackmail officials of his then administration, including civil servants into making false, phony and bogus claims of alleged corruption and corrupt practices against him and his wife, Judith’.

    Indeed, Amaechi’s detailed response has now made it difficult to sieve the truth from a big basket of allegations by Nyesom Wike. An understanding of how politics is practiced in Nigerian would suggest that what Wike has done with accusations of looting of furniture and cars at the Rivers Government House is nothing far from the usual strategy of distraction that is observed every time an incumbent governor hands over to an opposing party. As such, Wike’s disclosures are not strange, however what is different from the customary allegations is that this time round, it is not money that is being talked about but basic domestic items which ordinarily should have their inventory well documented in the office of the Permanent Secretary that serves as the chief accounting officer of the Government House.

    To claim that Amaechi looted the Rivers State Government House is very premature as confirming such allegations is far beyond using doctored images to portray a scattered house as vandalized in the presence of some selected journalists.

    Ordinarily, if Governor Wike meant well, good logic would have informed him to seek an inventory of what items were there in Amaechi’s stay in office and what he left behind at his exit from office. The simple question that has been raised is, did Wike know what was in Amaechi’s former bedroom to have been able to reach a conclusion of looting? Otherwise, Wike’s claims are best thrown into the dustbin and regarded as weak ploy to score cheap points. Indeed, until a proper and transparent inventory analysis is professionally conducted, it will be difficult to regard Wike as serious. Certainly, from every reasonable analysis, what Wike has done in his first day on duty as governor, shows that he is acting out a script which suggest that his main purpose in politics is to fight dirty rather than focus on the right measures that will advance the condition of the governed.

    Ordinarily, one would have thought that Wike as a trained lawyer would have known the essence of well articulated evidence when presenting a case. The pictures of scattered chairs and tables cannot sufficiently serve as proof that an accused is responsible for looting except where there exist documentary evidence from security cameras and or uncompromised individuals to buttress such.  On the issue of vandalised kitchen cabinets, I think if a man of Amaechi’s status really meant to cause discomfort for his successor, the seeming destruction of property should not start and end in a kitchen of  a house he literally renovated to an edifice status. Perhaps, if Amaechi had capacity for evil acts, he would have started the so-called vandalisation from the foundation than go to an irrelevant portion of the mansion. That Wike never mentioned any colossal damage to the said Government House rightly suggests that he is just obsessed with trying to get unnecessary attention on an issue that he could even be accused of simulating or masterminding.

    Granted that anyone that has held or is holding a government office deserves public scrutiny; but when such inquiry translates to blatant absurdity and half-truths as demonstrated by Wike, then the reasons behind such must be investigated thoroughly to ensure that this is neither an intent to divert attention, weak attempt to discredit another person nor design to deplete the treasury of the state.

    Consequently, any objective analyst should appreciate that the media outing by Wike is obviously a tragic error because what he attempted to portray on alleged looting could have been left for the journalists to confirm from witnesses present at the time of the alleged vandalisation or could it have been possible that as at the time he resumed office, the entire security personnel at the Government House had fled and  the security camera gadgets destroyed?

    Wike’s claims are appalling especially coming from a lawyer and he really needs to be reminded  that as a legal professional, he should have taken the proper step to assemble credible evidence before considering a visit with pressmen. Indeed, the churning out of this unconfirmed story in major newspapers is also huge minus for the press as it has exposed the embarrassing fact that in Nigeria, investigative journalism is almost dead or highly compromised. For anyone to use Wike’s  lies and misinformation, it simply suggests a willingness to stray from the truth in preference for reporting  a stream of fabrications. The big story for any journalist wanting a real scoop might be: who opened the premises for Wike and what did they see there, a vandalized house or not?

    For ease of recall, anyone that has given some reasonable attention to politics of Rivers State would agree that there is a wide gulf in the relationship between Amaechi and Wike, hitherto described as  two close friends before they went separate ways in the wake of 2015 general elections. Be that as it may, Wike from all reasonable logic, has acted dishonestly and appears to be venturing into dangerous political path scarcely towed in Nigeria. Granted that on many occasions, we know politicians to be economical with the truth, at other times we know them to stretch lies against the opposing camp, nevertheless, the disclosures made by Wike against Amaechi share great semblance with willful and purposeful lying. Indeed, it will be good for Wike to be challenged by the public on these allegations not necessarily for the purpose of advancing any political party’s interest  but for advancing both morality and integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.

    Wike’s stream of mistruths cannot reap him any political awards or  help win his case at the tribunal. Rather, these ostracized falsehoods will only thrust him further into unhealthy controversy. As such, now that a large section of the press has debunked his false claims, the honourable thing for him to do is to  concede the truth for the restoration of personal honour and integrity. Otherwise, the blatant lies Wike has tried to spread  must be confronted and exposed because any political office holder ought to distance himself from such  especially in any modern society which abhors lies and largely associates leaders with such traits of lying with incompetence.

    Wike’s attempt to engage lying as a useful political strategy clearly portrays him as a man that may be clueless on how to manage the affairs of Rivers State. The simple question to ask here, is why should he claim that he would need about four months to fix the vandalized items whereas some people can even build a house in less than four months? In fact, it is only a person that is dumb that will accept what Wike says without questions. Wike lack of truthfulness is not only huge indictment of the character of person the PDP has selected to rule Rivers State  but that his party has weak vetting process which encourages men of questionable character and dishonesty to be in office.

    Wike’s Rivers State PDP has a long history of attempting to smear the APC at any opportunity. For anyone still unaware, the smear campaign was launched by Wike when it became obvious that Amaechi had settled for another candidate as his successor as Governor from the APC. For the average peace loving person, this dirty politics should have been over but Wike’s recent expressed dishonesty is a real tragedy in the making. That is the truth, and it is time the Rivers people knew this and the consequences ahead.

     

    • Shaibu,a Public Communication Consultant,writes from Abuja.
  • Wike, Amaechi battle over Govt House

    Wike, Amaechi battle over Govt House

    Since Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, started trading words over alleged vandalisation and looting of the Government House, Port Harcourt, the question on the mind of many has been: who is lying? The poser became deepened yesterday when Amaechi released what he said were pictures of the state of the Government House as at the time he left it.

    The pictures are sharp contrasts to the ones supplied by Wike. According to Wike, all the bullet proof doors, furniture, cars, crested carpets, curtains and windows were stolen by the former administration.

    He said: “As I speak with you, everything has been vandalised.  I will not enter the Government House in the next two or three months.

    “There is no vehicle in Government House, not even one. Yet the former governor talks about corruption”.

    Other things allegedly looted are: air conditioners, window blinds, electrical/electronic gadgets, safes, Jacuzzis, room facilities and other domestic utensils, including fridges, freezers, televisions, beds and beddings.

    Amaechi, in a statement accompanying the pictures yesterday, said Wike was only out to witch hunt him.

    Amaechi, in a statement by his media aide, David Iyofor, described as a fraud the video and pictures of the looted and vandalised Government House.

    “The images are also fraud, arranged and executed by Wike to enable him vote billions of Naira from the state treasury to renovate and refurbish the place, while also accusing me of corruption. I repeat, this is clearly a game, a grand conspiracy to siphon state funds under the sub-head of renovating and refurbishing a supposedly ‘vandalised and looted’ Government House, while also falsely smearing my image.”

    “Wike said the curtains in the Governor’s residence were looted, but even in his stage-managed images, you could clearly see that the curtains are still intact. I left Government House intact.

    “Rivers people should hold Wike responsible if there’s any looting and vandalism in Government House. There is verifiable information that on May 29, Wike stopped key Government House staff, including the Permanent Secretary (who’s the chief accounting officer) from entering the premises, only to shout looting and vandalism 48 hours later. Why were civil servants, including the most senior civil servant in Government House, barred from entering the compound on May 29? Was it to give him time and provide cover to stage-manage the shooting of the fraudulent video that he’s now gleefully showing?”

    The last has certainly not been heard about this matter and the poser remains: who the hell is the liar?

  • Farewell, Amaechi

    SIR: If you lived in Port Harcourt before Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi became governor of Rivers State then you would have known that this state was a day late and a naira short in security.

    It was so bad that our streets were not safe. I knew this much: many people could not answer their phone calls whilst walking the streets in our neighbourhoods for fear of being mugged. Also, people couldn’t go to pleasure houses for rest and relaxation for fear of violence. Business owners wouldn’t dare close their office late at night because hoodlums brazenly went into their shops asking for cash without fear. Our women coming from night vigil were seized by crooks and assaulted on dark back-streets.

    But sanity later on in Rivers State, to a level, was restored somewhat by the Amaechi administration until recently when things spiralled out of control due to gladiatorial fights by conceited politicians. I am not a fan of the ex-governor but truth be told: Amaechi no doubt has played his part in Nigeria’s politics. Love him or hate him, history will be generous to record his accomplishments which many of his naysayers might not approve.

    Amaechi, for a fact, upped the democratic stake in this state. Isn’t it particularly strange that a governor chose to be different despite the unrelenting attraction of the people of his geographical block for regionalism?

    I live here and listen to the piles of scorn that his critics pour out on him as the person responsible for the defeat of the president in the last general elections.

    It was no news to see office-seekers here recently promote the candidacy of the president and their own (as if they were on a joint ticket), instead of approaching voters confidently on their own terms offering to leave a long-lasting legacy for posterity.

    He may not be adored by all, especially those who say he does not respect elders, the kinds of elders who want to be Pharaohs in a democracy, but he has been able to draw attention to the responsibility of the federal government to build institutions that will endure.

     

    • Simon Abah,

    Port Harcourt.

  • Amaechi: we worked with sincerity, accountability

    Amaechi: we worked with sincerity, accountability

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has said his administration did its best in the prevailing circumstances throughout his tenure.

    The outgoing governor noted that he would not pretend that his administration achieved its dreams and aspirations or was perfect and beyond reproach.

    He said it worked with sincerity of purpose and accountability.

    Ameachi asked the people to forgive his administration, if it offended anyone in the course of serving them.

    The governor, in his valedictory broadcast to Rivers State residents yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said his team ran a good race that was anchored on God and His might.

    He stressed that Rivers was the least indebted state in Nigeria with a loan portfolio of N17.7 billion to banks.

    Amaechi, who is also a former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), gave the details of Rivers indebtedness as: Agriculture loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), N2 billion and Zenith Bank Plc, N15.7 billion.

    The governor said the state’s loan from Access Bank would be on zero balance by the end of this month.

    He added that the indebtedness on contractor loans was contained in the various handover notes of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

    Amaechi said: “The incoming administration will find all necessary documents required to take off and understand the government. Deputy Governor (Tele Ikuru) is our liaison with the incoming administration and has been directed to accord them the necessary assistance they may require.

    “Government is continuous and records are the vital links between two administrations. All assets and liabilities belong to the government. As we vacate the seat we had occupied for seven years and seven months, we leave with the deep joy that comes from a high sense of accomplishment, the firm satisfaction that we came with a determination and we are leaving highly fulfilled. This is because we tried to do justice to any and all that came our way.

    “We fought to protect the assets and interests of Rivers State, just as we pursued our projects with great zeal within the financial space available. Whatever is left undone is for those taking over from us.

    “My beloved people of Rivers State, it was a great honour and privilege to have served such a great people at this time. But there are times and seasons. Having run our course and in obedience to our Constitution, we gladly step aside. But we remain eternally indebted to Rivers State and its people.

    “We ask that anyone the administration offended be gracious enough to forgive. We never came as perfectionists. We have been just as frail as any other human being. We exercised our oath and allegiance on behalf of our people. The best intent could have been misconstrued. To such persons, we render apologies beyond words.”

  • With Buhari, things ‘ll look up, says Amaechi

    With Buhari, things ‘ll look up, says Amaechi

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has urged incoming governors to support the incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari to ensure proper transformation.

    He noted that funds started missing in Nigeria after the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) was divided.

    Amaechi, the immediate past chairman of NGF spoke at a thanksgiving mass to mark his 50th birthday at the Corpus Christi Catholic Cathedral, Kaduna Street, Port Harcourt.

    The governor said: “This is the first time I will be in a political party where we will discuss how to alleviate poverty, ensure justice and end impunity. In PDP, we never discussed them. Our discussions in PDP always centered on how to win elections and raise money for elections. We never sat to say the economy was very bad and how to manage it. In PDP, the issue was not development.

    “In APC, we meet and discuss no power (electricity), no water. We discuss how to raise money for development and how to generate employment. We are currently saying that in the next three months, if we do not address unemployment, the people will come after us.

    “That is what APC leaders are talking about now. I am happy where I am. One of the reasons I left PDP was because they were not progressive. I thank my God that I am now in the APC. Nigeria will move forward from now on.

    “When other governors in the Southsouth deserted me, the only governor that stood by me was Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, who told me he was not standing by me on party line, but on principle.

    “I do not want to talk about 16 or 19. God should bless all the governors. We should not allow anybody to divide the NGF. It was after the division of NGF that funds started to get missing. When we were there, we would go and confront President Jonathan. Let us join the incoming President, Muhammadu Buhari to ensure proper transformation of Nigeria.

    Amaechi said those fighting him must first defeat God, which he described as impossible, stressing that the war was over with the elections rounded off.

    “Justice is an essential element to forgiveness. We used to have N25 billion monthly in Rivers State. We now have N6 billion. Our wage bill is N9.2 billion. They took Soku oil wells to Bayelsa State. Where is justice? They took our oil wells to Abia State. Where is justice? You seek forgiveness when there is repentance. They want me to pay salaries of N9.2 billion and they gave me N6 billion. I am not Jesus Christ, I cannot do miracle. Neither am I a magician. I cannot print money. There is need for justice.

    “Up till now, INEC in Rivers State has not given us the voter registers used in the elections. If the voters were actually accredited, INEC would have produced the voter registers. They are still ticking and writing fake papers. We must focus more on justice and forgiveness will come later. There is no forgiveness before justice. Those who are in court will get justice, and then we can now ask for forgiveness. The only man who forgives before justice is God.

    The ex-NGF chair said for Peterside and others whose mandates were stolen to win at the Tribunal, their knees must always be on the ground, praying to God, revealing that he prayed and fasted for ten months before becoming governor on October 26, 2007, through the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court the previous day.

    In his sermon, the Catholic Bishop of Port Harcourt Diocese, Rev. Camillus Etokudoh described Buhari’s victory as an answer to the prayers of Nigerians, to ensure a united country, especially to shame the people who did not wish Nigeria well.

    The cleric urged Rivers people, especially the politicians, to ensure peace, reconciliation and forgiveness, stressing that no human being is perfect.

    The service was attended by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Amaechi’s wife, Dame Judith; Senators Chris Ngige, Olorunimbe Mamora and Magnus Ngei Abe; the governorship candidate of the APC in Rivers state, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, and his wife, Elima; a former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; and a member of the House of Representatives, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, among other eminent personalities.

  • Buhari’s govt won’t allow impunity, says Amaechi

    Buhari’s govt won’t allow impunity, says Amaechi

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi yesterday said President-elect Muhammadu Buhari would not allow impunity after May 29.

    He spoke yesterday at a public lecture at the Dr. Obi Wali International Convention Centre on Chief Godspower Ake Road, Port Harcourt, as part of the activities to mark his 50th birthday.

    The lecture, put together by Amaechi’s Committee of Friends, with theme: “Deepening Democracy in Nigeria, implications for development in Africa”.

    The keynote speaker was Dr. Robin Rene Sanders, a former United States Ambassador to Nigeria.

    Amaechi said the defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan was a timely intervention to save Nigeria.

    The Rivers governor stated that the fact that the history of Nigeria and the transition from one civilian government to another could not be written, without including his name, was his greatest achievement.

    He added that he refused to probe the government of a former Rivers governor, Dr. Peter Odili, despite tremendous pressure on him to do so.

    The well-attended event, which was transmitted live on Channels Television, had in attendance an ex-Head of State Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (rtd.), who was represented by a former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, who chaired the occasion; a member of the Board of Trustees of the APC, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; the APC’s governorship candidate in Rivers, Dr. Dakuku Peterside; and the representative of Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, Magnus Ngei Abe.

    Also in attendance were a former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas; ex-Governor of Rivers State, Chief Rufus Ada-George; an elder statesman, Chief Victor Odili; a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, a former Rivers Deputy Governor, Sir Gabriel Toby;  an ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche; Rivers Chairman of the APC, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya; and a renowned human rights activist, Anyakwee Nsirimovu, among other eminent personalities.

    Sanders described Nigeria as a nation of talented people, assuring that the country could get it right, in spite of its challenges, but admonished Nigerians to be determined that the democracy must work and inspire growth, for the nation to move forward.

    The former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria also assured that Nigeria could change the face of Africa, saying the country represented the hope of Africa.

    Abdulsalami said the greatest mistake of the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was to have allowed five governors, including Amaechi, to leave the party for the APC.

    He noted that strong conviction, defending his views with the energy in him and not suffering fools gladly, could not be taken from the Rivers governor.

    The former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives noted that every continent requires a role model to propel it to greatness and for Africa, according to him, it is Nigeria, stressing that the courage of Amaechi and other APC leaders to bring about change, had deepened the nation’s democracy.

    Abe noted that the people’s voices must be heard to deepen democracy, insisting that it would be too early for the APC to do away with zoning of positions, for no part of Nigeria to be left behind and that the history of Rivers State would not be written without Amaechi’s name in bold letters.

    Nsirimovu  said the rule of law, effective participation, competition and accountability were essential to deepen democracy, while Jaja stressed that the grace of God is upon Amaechi, especially for becoming 50.

    The Rivers governor said: “I have been listening to Mr. Nyesom Wike and I have been trying not to reply him. He has been accusing me of corruption and I have been trying to keep quiet over the issue of corruption. A thief cannot call me corrupt. The first lesson he needs to learn is that he was Chief of Staff to my government. If I have no records, I have records on him.”

    Rivers Governor-elect Chief Nyesom Wike, who is a former Minister of State for Education, on Monday in Port Harcourt, declared that he would probe Amaechi’s alleged corrupt government and to use forensic audit.

    The governor continued: “One way we succeeded in moving this state forward was that we refused to probe Dr. Peter Odili’s government, despite the pressure on me to probe Dr. Odili’s government, because at the end of the day, they will not ask me the number of persons I probed, but what I did while in government. This convention centre (built by his government) is one of the testimonies. If we had gone to the Obi Wali Cultural Centre (in Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt, now taken over by Sliverbird Cinema), the hall would have looked very full. This hall accommodates 2,200 persons. The convention centre is very big. On top of the roof is a plenty space for big parties, for those who want to organise ‘Owambe’ and there are many conference/committee rooms in the hall.

    “The road to Nyesom Wike’s father’s house was built by me. A relation of mine was killed in front of Wike’s father’s house, during the 2015 general elections. I am a Christian. I have never killed anybody and I will never kill anybody. Instead of killing somebody, I will give up my ambition. Anybody’s life is greater than any ambition I will have on earth.

    “Nigerians need to be honest and transparent. I recently had a conversation with my first son on the phone and he said he was proud of me, because they cannot write the history of Nigeria, and the transition from one civilian government to another, without including me. I laughed and my son said everybody knew the role I played, the struggle and the fact that my family was torn into different parts and my children could not see me, but that they are proud to have a father like me. That, for me, is my greatest achievement.

    “God did not put me to shame. I will be leaving office as Rivers Governor very proud. President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife (Dame Patience); Nyesom Wike; soldiers and police could not remove me from office. When I pray, in front of me all the time is God. That is why I am always victorious. If you want to fight me, you must first defeat God, which is impossible. Nobody can overcome God. I have won already.”

    The immediate past NGF chairman also expressed optimism that Peterside would emerge victorious at the election petitions tribunal, sitting in Abuja.

    Amaechi faulted the governor-elect for behaving as if he was already in government.

    Amaechi said: “They have not been sworn in, they are writing to banks to pay or not to pay money and to give them accounts. Which letterhead? Who the hell are they?

    “Until May 29, I am the governor of Rivers State. I have no case hanging on my neck. By God’s grace, I have been governor for eight years.”

  • I disagreed with Jonathan on principle, says Amaechi

    I disagreed with Jonathan on principle, says Amaechi

    • ‘My records are clean’
    •Fed Govt owes Rivers N105b

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has said he disagreed with President Goodluck Jonathan on principle.

    The governor said he was unhappy over the alleged overbearing attitude of First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

    He promised to tell his story of a tortuous journey to power at the appropriate time.

    Amid applause, Amaechi said his records in office are clean.

    The governor said his clean mandate unsettled the Presidency from setting up any anti-graft agency against him.

    Amaechi, who spoke in Abuja at the presentation of a documentary on: The Amaechi years, said his disagreement with Jonathan was based on his belief that events in the country would not enhance good governance.

    He said: “People have asked me why am I opposed to Goodluck Jonathan. At the point the fight started, instead of receiving money from the Federal Government, we were sending money to the Federal Government.

    “Have you seen a country where the Commissioner of Police reports to the wife of the President? That is happening in Rivers State. Have you seen a country where a Brigade Commander reports to the wife of the President or where the Navy Commander or Air Force Commander reports to the wife of the President? This happened in Rivers State.

    “The wife of the President would come, they would go and wait for her at the airport. She would tell them to come at 9am but she would come by noon. They would escort her to her house, she would go upstairs and come down by 9pm and they would all be on ground waiting for her.

    “She would say: ‘I heard you greeted Amaechi last week. Why did you greet him? I will transfer you, and you are transferred.’ The more she did that, the more the President turned his back and the more I fought because I felt that such a system is not a system that will make Nigeria grow. Why I agree with my friends who say: ‘Forget the past because it is gone.’ I think it is a lesson.

    “Governance is about the man that has been elected. He has the responsibility to deliver services to the people. There was a time when it was everywhere that the Supreme Court would remove Amaechi.

    “That was until we defeated them at the Supreme Court. I told the Rivers people to go about their businesses because I had finished praying and that President Jonathan could not remove me.

    “We are leaving at the same time. They didn’t want me to stay till the end, but here I am staying till the end.”

    Amaechi told a large audience that his records in office are clean.

    He added: “Try to keep your books clean because if you do, you can abuse anybody. Just imagine if things were bad. Forget what they may cook up now that we are leaving office because I am also prepared to fight them, if they cook up any story.

    “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. There is no way he will not have something on the governor of Rivers. So, if they cannot come out now and say Amaechi, you stole N100 million, it means they are still trying to look for facts which they don’t have yet. If you keep your records clean, you can wake up and tell anybody that this can’t continue.”

    Amaechi said his administration spent N105 billion on the repairs of federal road, adding that President Jonathan promised to refund the money.

    The governor said the President refused to pay “and will not pay because he is leaving office”.

    He said: “People have been pursuing me to write my story or allow them to write my story. I say anybody can write any story as they want. But I will not contribute because, if I tell you my story, when I am ready to write, nobody will buy it. I will tell my story at the appropriate time…”

     

     

     

     

  • I disagreed with Jonathan on principle – Amaechi

    I disagreed with Jonathan on principle – Amaechi

    The Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday said he disagreed with President Goodluck Jonathan on principle.

    The governor said he was unhappy over the overbearing attitude of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

    He promised to tell his story of a tortuous journey in power at the appropriate time.

    Amidst applause, Amaechi boasted that his records in office are clean.

    The All Progress Congress chieftain said the clean mandate disabled the Presidency from setting the anti-graft agency against him.

    Amaechi, who spoke at the presentation of a documentary on “The Amaechi years” said his disagreement with the President was based on the belief that events going on in the country were not good for governance.

    He said: “People have asked me why I opposed President Goodluck Jonathan. When the fight started, instead of receiving money from the Federal government, we were sending money to the Federal Government.

    “Have you seen a country where the Commissioner of Police reports to the wife of the President? That is happening in Rivers State. Have you seen a country where a Brigade Commander reports to the wife of the President or where the Navy Commander or Air force Commander reports to the wife of the President? This happened in Rivers State.

    “The wife of the President will come, they will go and wait for her at the airport. She will tell them to come there at 9.00am, she will come by 12noon. They will escort her to her house, she will go upstairs and come down by 9.00pm and they will all be on ground waiting for her.

    “She will say, I heard you greeted Amaechi last week. Why did you greet him? I will transfer you and you are transferred. The more she did that, the more the President turned his back, and the more I fought because I felt that such a system is not a system that will make Nigeria grow. Why I agree with my friends who says forget the past because it is gone, I think it is a lesson.

    “Governance is about the man that has been elected and he has the responsibility to deliver services to the people. There was a time when it was everywhere that the Supreme Court will remove Amaechi.

    “That was on until we defeated them at the Supreme Court. I told the Rivers people to go about their business because I have finished praying and that President Jonathan cannot remove me. We are leaving at the same time. They didn’t want me to stay to the end, but here I am staying till the end.”

  • Amaechi: Peterside’ll be governor

    Amaechi: Peterside’ll be governor

    Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Dr. Dakuku Peterside will be governor, outgoing Governor Rotimi Amaechi said yesterday.

    He spoke at the Dr. Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, where Peterside’s campaign organisation, Greater Tomorrow Campaign Organisation (GTCO) held a thanksgiving service to celebrate “God’s faithfulness throughout the electioneering period”.

    Amaechi accused Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase of promoting policemen who assisted the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the March 28 and April 11  elections.

    Besides Amaechi and Peterside, the well-attended service, also had in attendance the Rivers governor’s wife, Judith; Peterside’s wife, Elima, a lawyer; his running mate, Asita Honourable and his wife, Patricia; as well as the Director-General of GTCO, Chief Victor Tombari Giadom, and other eminent personalities.

    Peterside, in company with Asita, during testimony and thanksgiving, gave details of the killings and violence in Rivers State before, during and after the elections.

    The APC’s governorship candidate declared that even with the stealing of votes by the leaders of the PDP in Rivers State, they could not write the results for themselves, noting that the challenges would not be greater than God, saying: “I am 100 per cent certain that we will come out victorious.”

    The General Overseer of Gateway International Church, Port Harcourt, Rev. George Izunwa, who preached on the occasion, said before the end of this year, Peterside and his friends would gather for another thanksgiving service for victory.

    Amaechi said: “God will bless all of you, for standing by us. On May 27, I will be 50. I never believed that I would be 50. Having got to 50, I must thank God.

    “There is a man called John Amadi, the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (in Rivers State, during the 2015 general elections), who sat down and wrote a programme that embarrassed the APC and the incoming Federal Government, even after Gen. Buhari had won the presidential election.

    “To embarrass us further, I hear he has been promoted to Commissioner of Police and transferred out of Port Harcourt. He will come back. The only way he will not come back is if we do not form government, but if we form government, he will account for his actions.

    “An Assistant Commissioner of Police in Khana LGA (of Rivers State) said it was mutiny to take on the Federal Government. He sat down and fought APC, as if he was a PDP member. I do not know whether he has been promoted or not, but if he has been promoted and sent away, he will also come back. That one does not require a judge. IGP (Solomon Arase) can promote them as much as he wants. He can promote them to Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), but they must all account for their actions.

    “John Amadi intended to kill me. On my way to my village (Ubima in Ikwerre LGA) to go and vote, I ran into some criminals, who were attacking an APC member and I stopped with the intention to rescue the gentleman and arrest the people, as the governor. I did not know that they had given instruction to my own security men not to obey me. So, when I told the policemen to arrest them, they were just standing. On further inquiry, I was told that they were told not to go near where they were voting. When I asked the C for I (special police security team) to reinforce and they brought security, John Amadi called them back and asked them to leave there.

    “The only thing that saved me and saved the situation was that the Brigade Commander (Brig. Gen. Koko Essien of 2 Brigade, Bori Camp, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt) sent in soldiers and the soldiers chased the people away. The people were speaking my language (Ikwerre) and saying somebody will die here now. Who was the somebody, other than me? My police and SSS (State Security Service) men were watching and my life was at risk. I am supposed to be the governor of Rivers State, the so-called Chief Security Officer.”

    Amaechi expressed surprise at his discoveries in Port Harcourt and other parts of Rivers State before the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    The Rivers governor said: “Nyesom Wike (Rivers’ governor-elect) said I came to the front of his house. I was driving. I had been called that night that they changed the result sheets at Rumueme. I drove down to the place, called the Commissioner of Police (Hosea Karma) to meet me there. Before he could come, I asked him how far he was. Imagine Hosea Karma, that served all his life in Rivers State, telling me he could not find his way to Rumueme at 3 a.m. I told him that while he was looking for his way to Rumueme, I was driving to Rumuokwuta (Port Harcourt) and saw over 70 policemen on the road and they stopped me in front of Nyesom Wike’s father’s house. I asked what they were doing there, they said they were there with DCP John Amadi, right inside the house and I called the Commissioner of Police that I was waiting for him in front of Nyesom Wike’s father’s house, for him to come and bring out John Amadi from the house. It took Karma over 30 minutes to meet me there.

    “By the time he (Karma) came, the policemen had all run away and very few were in front of the house about 3 a.m. John Amadi and others were planning what they would do the next day. When we got inside, one of the persons said he was an INEC officer. Agents of all other political parties were not present. I left. The next morning, before I came, they had given all the result sheets to PDP. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Kala Police Station, an Akwa Ibom woman, joined in the rigging. Write down the names of all the DPOs in your area, they will account for it. The only way the system can be corrected is for the police commission to discipline those who have broken the law. They must account for their actions.

    “If an ordinary DCP (John Amadi) could do what he did in Rivers State and he is promoted to CP, the IGP is daring the new Federal Government.

    “OC MOPOL arrested people who were thumb-printing near Nyesom Wike’s house. On his way to the police station, John Amadi drove and stopeed him on the way, took the people and took the result sheets straight to INEC’s office. Get ready with your petitions. When the new government comes, send your petitions to them to investigate, because this nonsense cannot continue. Nobody has the right to do what they did. Here (in Rivers State), we were fighting with INEC, police, the Nigerian Army and the militants.

    “The President-elect is a man of rule of law. He will not punish anybody without due process. Act officially as a party and as individuals, for proper investigations of what happened in Rivers State. Let us ask the incoming Federal Government to properly investigate what happened in Rivers State.

    “There is a Colonel in Degema-Kalabari (headquarters of Degema LGA of Rivers State). He covered Degema and Abonnema (headquarters of Akuku-Toru LGA of Rivers State). His name is Adimorah or something like that. I hear he has been transferred to Lagos. We shall also demand his investigation by the Nigerian Army, because what they did to us was to participate in the elections, as if we were members of PDP and our crime was challenging PDP.”

    Amaechi urged the APC supporters not to relent in their determination to ensure justice.

    The Rivers governor said: “We are in court. If you know my history, you will know that this is not the first time that this thing has happened. When I was to be Speaker (of the Rivers State House of Assembly in 1999), a similar thing happened. We prayed and fasted and we asked God to make me Speaker and I became Speaker. You remember how I became governor. Similar thing happened. We prayed and fasted and God made me governor. This is another trial time. You have the choice to pray or not to pray. This is the time to call God. Without God, we are going nowhere.

    “When I said I fasted for ten months (in 2007), people do not believe it. Peterside is even lucky that if he is going to fast, he is going to fast here (in Rivers State). I was chased out of Nigeria. It was also good for me, because it gave me enough time to pray and fast. If you are in Nigeria, you will have distractions. A lot of distractions from your wife, children, friends and church. When I was in Ghana, my wife and children were not there. It was lonely, but it gave me time to pray to God and God answered our prayers. I will join in the fasting, but I am not the candidate.

    “God answered our prayers that Gen. Buhari is the President-elect of Nigeria. Imagine if Gen. Buhari did not win. They were already preparing to send us away. They had left instructions at the airports not to let me travel, hoping that we would lose the presidential election. They had seized my red passport, which they gave to me only two weeks ago, signed on April 28. They did not know we would win the election. God answered our prayers to save us and save Nigeria. I am not joking, we have no money anywhere.